EC Comics Presents...The Vault of Horror!

By: Johnny Craig, Jack Davis, Jules Feiffer, Al Feldstein, Harry Harrison, Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen, Harvey Kurtzman

Narrated by: Kevin Grevioux, Phil Proctor, Denise Poirier, full cast

Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

When the history of horror comics was written, one name stood and still stands above the rest: EC Comics. With equal parts suspense, gore, camp, and revenge, the triumvirate of EC’s horror output laid the groundwork for what was to come from many of the genre’s greatest writers and directors.

Now, AudioComics (a division of Pocket Universe Productions) presents EC’s The Vault of Horror, its stories adapted and presented in an audiorich fully immersive setting complete with a full cast, scoring, and soundscapes. This ghastly grimoire adapts issues #12 to #17 of the classic horror series, with werewolves, vampires, cutthroats, and numerous ne'erdowells!

Starring Kevin Grevioux (creator of the Underworld film franchise) as the Vault Keeper, and special guests Phil Proctor of the Firesign Theatre and Denise Poirier (MTV’s Æon Flux), this series is going to chill your spine and clam your palms! So put your headphones on and enter the Vault of Horror! It’s a real scream!

©1950, 1951 William M. Gaines Agent Inc. (P)2019 The AudioComics Company

A Joyous Tribute to a Classic Genre!!

THE VAULT OF HORROR deserves a vaultful of praise, not only for its delightful, almost whimsical handling of a genre that is chock full of terror but also for it's director, listed as William Dufris, for keeping each episode/chapter authentic and consistent style-wise as he careens from one time period and geographical location to the next. And while the stories themselves are perfect campfire tales in their own way, the real joy of this collection is the way in which the actor's portrayals coalesce into an ensemble of performers who all embrace the style and period feel of these individual stories. While the writers occasionally update the details to include Ubers and cell phones, the performers rarely drift from the campiness and underlying wit of the 1940's Horror Movie or 1950's Comic book writing from which these are derived.

While each tale has it's share of chills, gore and nightmare imagery, they are skillfully played with flair and camp, revealed in such unforgettable characters as the German Scientist, the Eccentric Recluse, the Voodoo Woman, the Gravediggers and Mad Scientists and Dying Uncles and Ne'er-Do-Wells and Monsters. And since each chapter is treated as a new episode, you can binge all 24 stories or treat them like the weekly serials they're written as for a sustained listening experience.

It's hard to choose a favorite story or individual performance as all the stories are great opportunities for the talented cast to have a field day in a wide variety of accents, dialects and larger than life characters. However, some standouts deserve a mention, including the two German scientists searching the Louisiana Bayou, the prison escape story, the terrific kids reminiscent of the Goonies or Stranger Things cast exploring a graveyard, the Frozen Landlord with his Hapless Superintendent and Evil Nurse, the lost travel writer, the Southern graverobber and the penultimate tale in the collection involving a Dorian Grey type Voodoo bust.

Full disclosure: some of the special effects were so jarring or chilling at moments that I hit my brakes a couple of times while driving - a true interactive experience. And this wouldn't be complete without praise for Kevin Grevioux, the host and vault Keeper, whose voice is so deep and whose evil laugh is so classic that you can feel the air move when he speaks.

All in all, this is less a collection of scary stories as a rollicking celebration of and a tribute to the Classic Horror Genre! Bravo for a unique listening experience!!

i love love love this keep these coming please

these are the scariest greatest horror collection that ive heard in a long long time please keep them coming please

one of the best of my audible collection.

loved it!!! easily one of my favorite books in my library collection, truly a movie for your mind...

Wonderful Return to Classic 80's Slapstick Horror!

Big fan of "Tales from the Crypt" and the original "Creepshow" movies - this is in same vein - great to see this tradition being continued. I live on Cape Cod so I particularly enjoyed the story set in Falmouth. I hope they do more of these!

OMG

William Dufris is a genius. EC Comics is legendary. The combination is sublime. Don't miss this amazing audiobook

Thanks for the memories

This collection was so much fun to listen too. reminded me of how I used to live for horror comics growing up. this was like seeing and old friend again. Give us more!

It’s Not Shakespeare…

…it’s EC Comics! Don’t expect literary brilliance, have a glass of wine to go with the cheese and enjoy for what it is, outrageously hammy acting and all. More please!

Great Stuff!

A nice collection of classic EC horror, a bargain, and well worth a listen to fans of audio dramas and horror!

Absolutely AMAZING tribute to EC Comics

I'll admit, I'm biased. I love audio drama, and as far I'm concerned some of the best productions I've heard have been on Audible: "Locke & Key" and "The X-Files" and the "Alien" productions. Just when you think it can't get any better, I hear "EC Comics Presents... The Vault of Horror!" And all I can say is they did Bill Gaines proud.

This production embodies everything I love about the old EC horror titles. The bad guys get theirs in the worst possible way. The creepiness is countered by just the right amount of camp. This is THE audio drama of 2019 and I can't wait for more tales from the terrifying tome that can only be found in... THE VAULT OF HORROR! HAHAHAHAHAH! (Okay, cue thunder and lightning.)

UPDATE (4/29/20): Recently found out that narrator William Dufris, who directed all 24 stories in the first season (assuming this is a first season), has passed away from cancer. Apparently this was one of the last audio dramas he directed. RIP Mr. Dufris. Ya did good.

Sound fx, great voice acting, rich detail ambiance

I love these rich sound fx radio plays. The BBC is a bore, please more of these rich sound styles. A WW2 spy & resistance series of this type would be a dream come true!!!